The 2026 Path-Clearing Pilgrimage

FoMA’s 2026 Path-Clearing Pilgrimage from 3 to 17 May  was truly a “pilgrimage of superlatives.” It was the largest in FoMA’s history, with 48 participants total, 32 of which came for only the first or second week, and 16 staying both weeks. It was also the most diverse in terms of the nationalities present, with some 12 countries represented. These many pilgrims in turn necessitated the involvement of the most host monasteries ever – with some 15 monasteries and 3 sketes providing hospitality. Several monasteries that had not previously hosted teams provided a welcome, including Karakallou, Philotheou, and the “loyalist” contingent of Esphigmenou, now based in Karyes. Continuing this theme, the natural world of the Mountain was (at least to this observer) at its most beautiful,given both a cooler and wetter spring than normal. Rivers and waterfalls that sometimes run dry by May were flowing vibrantly, and everywhere wildflowers in varying shades of purple, white, blue, or yellow were bursting with color.

Within these external realities, the inner journeys of each individual pilgrim took place. Those journeys were, of course, as diverse as the pilgrims themselves, but I offer here a few moments and realizations drawn from my own experience, in hopes my fellow path clearers may find points of resonance and a wider audience may come to appreciate the beauty of this work and why some path clearers come back to it year after year.  

One first sees concretely that our work is making a difference. Pilgrimages on foot are indeed increasing. This year my own team encountered pilgrims, monks, and even a trio of mules using the paths. Confirming that such encounters are evidence of a broader trend, a frequent Greek visitor beside me on the Karyes bus observed that many more pilgrims, particularly Romanians, have been using the paths the last five years. Perhaps most tellingly of all, a taxi driver carting my team to Karakallou from Karyes responded (unhelpfully) with but a word when we asked how one gets to Philotheou (our next stop) from Karakallou – “walk.” How silly of us to have hoped that he might drive us, given our extensive baggage and tools!   

Beyond the actual work and its fruits, what draws many path clearers is the sense that the supernatural world is somehow “closer” or “more evident” than it appears in workaday modernity. As one of my team members observed, Athos is a “thin place.” Certainly the monks bear constant witness to this. When a lazy afternoon saw our team get dispatched to help the monks preparing dinner, we were struck as we peeled potatoes that the monks went about this task with Kyrie eleison constantly on their lips, elevating the mundane to something spiritual and profound. And during a conversation about death and burial on Athos, another monk observed, rather unremarkably and in passing, that rigor mortisdoes not occur on the Holy Mountain, prompting us listeners to marvel at the wonder, and the strangeness, of this place.      

The “thinness” of Athos is complemented by the intense camaraderie that develops among each team. If the supernatural world is not far away, neither (literally) is one’s fellow man, especially when sleeping four to a room, working together, and taking meals together. In my team, that spirit of camaraderie was present particularly in the “organic” way we woke up each morning with the sun, and in the comfort with which we shared stories over a glass of rosé or raki at dusk. The accounts of other teams confirmed this camaraderie was widespread. Particularly heartening this year was the care with which team members looked after others impacted by illness or infirmity. Sore limbs and aging bodies affected the pilgrimage – and particularly the pilgrimage’s leadership – more significantly than in recent experience, reminding us all that the cultivation of a younger generation of path clearers is key for the long-term viability of this project.

Meaningful work, nearness of the supernatural, and camaraderie. These draw us back, but there is also always a “moment” – perhaps a conversation, a sunset, a flickering of candlelight against an icon, or a glimpse of the peak of Athos. This phenomenon was explained to me on my first pilgrimage in 2024 by a path-clearing stalwart, who confessed he was always on the edge of not returning, but then something would happen to draw him back again.  I offer two such moments to close these reflections.

My team was treated at Philotheou to a tour of the monastery’s small museum. Among its treasures was a remarkable embroidered Epitaphios used on Great and Holy Friday.  As is typical in these depictions, the holy women were mourning, gazing at the body of the crucified Lord, with faces reflecting their despair. But not so the Theotokos. Her face too looked on the tragic scene, but she was smiling. Our guide noted this was a depiction of John 16:20, where Christ tells his disciples, “Ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy.” Christ adds a few verses later, “In this world ye shall have trouble: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” I hope I will be forgiven for presuming that, to some extent, she was smiling also on us labourers in her garden, reminding us that whatever troubles we face, joy will come in the morning.

Both sorrow and joy mixed again in a memorable farewell scene. As our team left Gregoriou aboard a southbound ferry, we looked across the waves and up to the monastery, where we noticed a lone monk on one of the balconies. High above the sea and the cliffs, he was waving broadly at the ferry, waving to us. Just the prior evening we had been on the same balcony, and conversing deeply with the same monk in his workshop on matters theological (and occasionally political). His warmth and welcome, despite occasional points of spirited disagreement, were palpable, dispensed as generously as the mountain tea and biscuits he served. Now he was bidding us a distant goodbye. I am certain we went with his prayers.  

I noted at the start that we had enjoyed a pilgrimage of superlatives. Rounding these out was the esteemed judgement of FoMA’s Honourable Chairman and pilgrimage administrator, Chris Thomas, who declared that this year’s band of path clearers had been “the best group ever.” As to whether he was right about that, I will defer to more veteran path clearers than myself to decide. Certainly the 2026 pilgrimage accomplished much, but, as ever, the most important debris we remove is not on the footpaths but in ourselves. In that ongoing work, may the prayers of the fathers and the graces of the Holy Mountain continue to inspire and sustain us.

WADE KOLB
Greenville, SC

The author (left) with fellow path clearers Jonathan Gebbie and John Tsakirgis with Mount Athos in the background (left).